Despite efforts by nearly all parties to deny it, the underlying tension in metal that created #metalgate continues: the “new fans” who want music more like indie rock or punk versus the metal fans who want metal for metal’s sake. The metal fans realize that to be metal is to be an outsider to society and all of its rationalization for its own failure, including “reforms” and “revolutions,” while the punk/indie fans want metal to endorse some of those rationalizations.

The most recent victim may have been Pantera guitarist Darrell Abbot’s grave, which was referenced in an instagram post by the (ex-) vocalist of a crust/black band which embodies the worst of both veins of metal sell-outs, both the sensitive guy indie rocks who like crustcore and the tryhard war metal types who pose as being as hardcore as possible. According to the desecrator:

We paid douchebag darrell a visit, we spit on his grave, stole a pair of cowboy boots, and i wrote “FAG” on his grave… im not a homophobe but i hope all the panturrra fans see this and shit themselves with anger… FUCK DIMEBAG, buncha racist hillbillies

Only forty-eight hours later, the apologies were flowing forth:

The fact of the matter is I feel awful and guilty and this will stick with me forever, just like the Seinfeld guy using the N word… I can not express how sorry I am to Vinnie Paul and the Abbott family for the distress I caused, and the other members of Pantera and other acts Darrell was a part of. I owe everyone an apology for my actions because they were uncalled for, and horrible, despicable, and I went way too far. Some jokes are NOT funny and this is one of them. I took a joke way too far with a piece of paper and some hurtful words and as I’ve expressed, I don’t expect any sort of acceptance or sympathy…I hope at least someone will accept this and I hope for a better future for everyone…

What is shared between both of these sentiments? They are SJW ideas. He attacks Darrell because he thinks Pantera fans are a “buncha racist hillbillies” and excuses using the word FAG because he’s not a “homophobe.” This is SJW language here, first being concerned about policing whether or not other people approve of homosexuality and second in justifying violence or worse against those who are not pro-diversity, a.k.a. “racists.” When he apologizes, he uses the term “hurtful words” and compares his actions to “the Seinfeld guy using the N word” and then states he hopes for “a better future for everyone.” His motivation as a sensitive guy with social justice ideals is revealed in both of his statements.

I will not use his real name in this article, for the record, because public shaming can cause repercussions in this person’s real life, including career and social ostracization. No honest and decent person tries to do that because it is a passive but effective way at destroying the life of another. Nor will I name or link to his band, which has been utterly forgettable and forgotten from lack of any originality as well as blatant bandwagon-riding, because this like the sucker punch at Danzig is simply a publicity stunt that generated more notoriety than was expected. Let the media trick fail on its own.

But this leads us to an ugly point: a metalhead may well be divided by this event. It would be hypocritical for metalheads to start complaining about grave desecrations now after several thousand band photos in cemetaries. It is also nonsense to complain about damage to Darrell’s grave because, as noted by a number of sources, as with Jim Morrison’s grave the majority of the damage comes from fans of the artist and not enemies.

At the same time, however, many metalheads do not feel all that great about this desecration. The reason is that the motivation behind it is wrong. Like the rest of the SJW incursion that prompted #metalgate, the desecration of Darrell Abbott’s grave was justified by SJW-logic: Pantera fans are (allegedly) racist hillbillies, and “homophobes,” so it’s not only OK but “good” (like, in the Church sense) to desecrate his grave because he and his fans are bad. This alone makes the desecration stand out as not wrong in a moral sense, but broken. Someone is using society’s logic against metal to justify making metalheads second-class citizens whose graves may be desecrated, at least for reasons other than the usual war/satan/death that make a good grave desecration. Like the metal fans who object to grave desecrations in general, or the metalheads who claimed that Pantera fans are “nationalist Juggalos”, I feel this misses the point. Society hates metal, and it uses terms like “nationalist” and “homophobe” to justify bullying metalheads, much like it used claims of Satanism and murder back in the 80s to do the same. Its goal remains unchanged: destroy metal.

We should also draw some parallels between Pantera and SJWs. Like the SJW incursion, Pantera was an invasion designed to sell-out metal so it could be assimilated by rock music, with profit for all. Metal sells well, but rock music that has the “rebellious” cachet of metal would sell even better, because rock music has been designed from its inception to be the most easily-digested and emotionally simplistic form of music ever created, like music made into baby food. It sells well because it is a compromise, both inoffensive enough that most people will tolerate it, and thoughtless enough that people like to project onto it their own emotions and needs. Rock music is basically 1950s advertising jingles set to guitars, and people buy it to stay “relevant” or to seem hip, when really it has always been and always will be a product from the same people who sell us junk we can barely afford to address problems we do not have in order to achieve an image we do not need.

The reason many of us detest Pantera is purely musical: it is part of the great Dumbing Down of heavy metal, trying to make it closer to rock/blues so that all the people in sports bars, hair salons, show-off gyms and cube farms can tap their feet to the beat just like they did every other form of rock ‘n roll. Pantera is heavy metal made into a lengthy television commercial, and in doing so, it solicited social approval in a way that is decidely against all that metal stands for and lives by. Pantera heard Exodus Impact is Imminent and Exhorder, maybe Prong Beg to Differ and realized they could make a bundle if they combined a tough guy/sensitive guy approach — a lot like what nu-metal did, come to think of it — and made the music sound a lot more like Bruce Springsteen or John Cougar Mellencamp, both of whom sold more albums than God and retired rich. That was the goal in Pantera: metal as product. For that reason, the Pantera guys abandoned their glam/hair metal and hard rock stylings, and went into Metallica style speed metal with Cowboys From Hell, giving it their Southern rock spin, and then upgraded their sound to angry brocore with the following albums before returning to a blues-saturated swamp rock sound. It worked and people bought it.

Metalheads tend to hate Pantera because it brought in the elements of society that we go to metal in order to avoid: the sleeveless shirt angry guys who start fights in cell phone stores, the blockhead rock fans who are faithless toward any ideal but their own gratification right now, and the musical circle of conformity that forms rock music. Pantera is the anti-metal disguised as metal, much like SJW music like the black/punk (lol) band who desecrated Abbott’s grave is. Pantera not just represents, but embodies, all that metal opposes and all that will destroy metal. If we look back on this story from the future, we will see how both Pantera and these grave desecrators came from the same movement, which is an attempt by the mainstream to destroy and then absorb the once-independent genre of heavy metal.

16 thoughts on “#metalgate claims Pantera”

I’m friends with one or two of the members of this anonymous band in question. Since this was all the work of one member and the rest were being sought for crucifixion as well, I did what I could to try to stick up for them a bit, as they really didn’t deserve to have their own names sullied for someone else’s deed.

All of this internet riot doesn’t have much to do with grave desecration though: what happened was simply the method and not the intent. They (Panteroids) are not upset about vandalising the rest of the dead, as had it been someone else’s grave, a stranger for the case, none of those people would have given a care. Panteroids are, however, upset at the clear lack of respect exhibited by the performer, which was his intent, towards someone they idolise. Had the criminal’s band written a song mocking Pantera (as harmful as desecrating a grave? I don’t think so) Panteroids would still be upset that their idol was lambasted.

By the way, if I were you I’d watch my language out: P Pantera fans are fighting this band back by sending them death threats and internet memes, accusing people who don’t like Pantera of not being “true metalheads”. At the moment, there are two Facebook pages dedicated to hating on that band, one with 3.6k likes, the other with 8.6k, both have more likes than their own official page (3k). Oh, the joys of the internet.

Yeah, I was a little bit interested in this whole fracas until I read the full message. How hard is it to write “FAG” and just leave it? The whole “I’m not a homophobe” thing ruins the joke. It’s like that Nancy Pelosi cat video from years ago where it Rickrolls you and then explains what a Rickroll is.

“I will not use his real name in this article, for the record, because public shaming can cause repercussions in this person’s real life, including career and social ostracization. No honest and decent person tries to do that because it is a passive but effective way at destroying the life of another.”

So why is it bad to use the tactics of the enemies against them again? I think a few good lynchings would spice things up.

Diamond Darrell was rushing to his brother’s place after playing a new, catchy, cock rockin’ riff so that he can ask him if it’s any good. As he was coming closer and closer to Vinnie’s place, he could hear wild, animalistic moans. He rushed to get into the house, he was coming closer and closer to the source of the Hot and Heavy manlovin’. As soon as he opened the door to Vinnie’s bedroom, he saw Chuck Schuldiner, Death frontman who had recently expressed interest in touring with Pantera, on top of Vinnie.

The look on Vinnie’s face was furious, he glared at Darrell, his blood pumpin’ into his brain and into his lovemaker.

“What are you so uptight about? Ever since we got rid of that prude Glaze our new singer Phil told us that we shouldn’t be so close-minded about sex. Chuck needed some attention and I know I did! NOW C’MERE!”

“W-what are you saying?” Darrell asked apprehensively.

“C’mere Darrell, let your brother make you feel better.”

What followed was a hot three-way worthy of the greatest songs written by famous cock’n’man-ass lovers Deafheaven, Agalloch, Liturgy, and others. Darrell shoved his spear deep inside of Chuck’s asshole, which made him truly realise Flesh and the Power It Holds. Meanwhile Chuck was still a hungry little boy, so he chowed down on Vinnie’s Widowmaker which was still encrusted with Chuck’s own shit. Moans, sweat and steam filled the darkened room.

“Fuck, slow down, I’m gonna shoot!” roared Dimebag.

“OOOOOH
DON’T STOP TO
WAIT FOR LIFE JUST
CUUUUUUM INSIDE HIS ASS!” sang Vinnie while giving Chuck a refreshing drink of semen.

All of them shot simultaneously shot loads of manjuice all over themselves.

“Well, now I can say that I will without a doubt arrange a tour between our two bands, I’m glad that we could get to the bottom of this” said Chuck.

“Oh, your bottom was well worth it my friend” mouthed Darrell as he grinned lasciviously.

“So was yours, I’ll see you guys at rehersal.”

The next day, Darrell showed up again with a pale, grim look on his face, he rang the bell. Paul answered.

“Hey, bro. You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Are you disgusted about what happened yesterday? Don’t worry, you have to admit that it was a really hot three-way.”

“I’m positive.”

“See, Darrell? I told you it wasn’t so bad!”

“No, you don’t understand Vinnie. I’m HIV positive.”

Vinnie’s face grew pale and cold sweat started running down his neck.

“I can’t believe this story you’re telling me, it’s macabre! How?”

“That flaming faggot Chuck was already in an advanced stage of AIDS. Do you know what this means bro? I’ll die soon!”

“D-don’t worry, Darrell! We’ll figure something out, I promise!”

The two brothers hugged each other in the pouring rain as tears of hot manly jizz’n’emotion started going down their face…

Meanwhile… in another place…

Phillip “Hardcore” Anselmo and Rex “Cock” Rocker were angrily walking through the wilderness.

“That motherfucker Brent Hinds, every time he gets more than six beers in him he gets pissed off and leaves us!” said Rex as he was clutching a half-empty beer bottle in his hand.

“Tell me about it, I’m getting fucking sick of walking home from gigs every day.” Phillip agreed, putting his left hand in his skinny jeans pocket.

“I’m gonna cut his balls off if I see him!”

“Don’t mention balls, my girlfriend’s gonna bite mine off for not being home on time.”

“What she makin’, a big dinner?”

“Nah, it’s Friday, she expects me to get fucked by her strap-on all night long.”

“What the hell’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing… it’s just…” Phillip said while starting to jitter

“Just what?”

“She starts things off by giving me some head, her teeth always make my dick raw.” Phillip said with a disgusted look on his face.

“Her teeth? Oh, bitches can’t suck dick worth a damn! You probably never got good head in your life anyways.”

“You know, I don’t think I ever really have.”

“Well, get that fucking cock out of your pants and I’ll show you what a hot mouth’s supposed to feel like.”
“Oh, fuck yeah.”

Phillip started to unzip his tight jeans as Rex finished his beer, getting ready for the taste of some hard, sweaty man meat. Rex went Fucking Hostile on Phillip’s Rod of Life. He knew that if he rubbed it well enough with his mouth, it’ll shoot out The Cream of Youth. Phillip’s immodest pleasure moans attracted nearby wildlife to watch. Phillip couldn’t handle the hot feeling in his crotch and he soon busted his nut inside Rex’s mouth.

“YOU BETTER GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DOWN BELOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!”

Upon witnessing this ostentatious display of homosexuality, all nearby atoms started banging violently; thus creating the universe…